East Windsor approves casino development agreement

Published 9:17 am, Sunday, February 26, 2017

EAST WINDSOR >> The East Windsor Board of Selectman Saturday unanimously approved a development agreement with two Connecticut tribes hoping to build a new casino to compete with the MGM Resorts International facility opening in nearby Springfield, Massachusetts.

Ultimately, the entire project still needs approval from the General Assembly. The tribes want legislation passed this session, saying they need to move quickly to protect jobs at their southeastern Connecticut casinos. MGM’s facility is expected to open late 2018.

The tribes also are considering Windsor Locks locations.

Under the development agreement, East Windsor would receive $3 million up front, $3 million annually on top of annual tax payments estimated at $5.5 million.

MGM said in a statement Saturday that the casino plan was a “terrible deal for taxpayers in East Windsor and the State of Connecticut.”

Among its concerns were that East Windsor will receive less than the $25 million annually the Mohegans offered to Revere, Massachusetts, to build a casino there and that a referendum vote will not be held to allow the public to weigh in on the issue.

“The only way Connecticut opens its first commercial casino in a way that benefits the entire state is by scrapping this charade and creating a fair, open, transparent, and competitive process,” MGM said.